Instrument panel



Feb. f7, 1939.4 A. w, HILLS .Y -INs'JfRuMEN'r PANEL Filed Noi. 11, 1935r i i? @PATENT oFFic'E ausm a INSTRUMENT PANEL Arum w. mns, mnt, mein..mimo;- to Genera Moten CorporationrDetroit, Mich., acorporationolDelaware appuoaunn Namur' 11,1935, serial No. 49,264

s cum. (ci. iis-12s) This invention relates to indicating means and moreparticularly toinstrument panels for use in automobiles. l

It is the principal object of my invention to provide an instrumentpanel which includes all of the necessary readings for vproperautomobile'operation and which has a pleasing appearance.

It is a further object to so illuminate the panel that there will be noglare into the drivers eyes. 'l Further objects 'of my invention willbe'come evident uponl reference to the following speciiication whereinthere are described the embodiments f of my invention which areillustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which: i5 Fig. 1 is afrontelevation of the panel of my invention. l K

Fis. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on th une z z of Eig. 1. -l

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on' the line #-3 0f Fig. 1.

Flg. 4 is a perspective view of one corner of the` retaining' plate ofthe assembly. l

The instrument panel assembly of .my inven- 1 tion is composed of acasing 2.which is substantially rectangular in outline and comparativelyshallow bein'g open at the front face. Secured to the central portion ofthe back face by screws 3 is the speedometer assembly 4 the operatingparts of which extend through the casing back wall'i and for aportion ofthe distance into the center of the casing. The forward edge of thecasing 2 is ilangedparallel with its base to forni` flanges 6 thepurpose of which will later become evident.-

Also carried by the base'6 are a plurality `of hollow cylindricalmembers Il whichcarry sock- Y ets I2 the latter being pressed onto thecircular member il and secured therein by a springportion i4 of themember III pressed against the base of'the socket. The socket of coursecarries the usual bulb I6 for illuminating the inside of the casing.Carried at the top center part .ofthe base 6 is a similar typeof bulbassembly except that in this case a hood Il is placed over the bulb I6and allows the light from the bulb to project through a small opening 2linthe forward face of the hood. ,f y Enclosed in the forward opening inthe casing is a sub-assembly which is composed of the parts hereinafterset forth. A retaining plate 22,0f the same general outline as theforward portion of the casing is secured tothe casing by having `flanges24 projected overthe ilanges l of the casing. The central portion ofthis retaining plate 22 is pressed inwardly, the main body of theretaining plate being ois'et a' short distance within the casing. At thecentral portion of the retaining plate there is provided 'asubstantially rectangular opening 26 which is in alignment with theodometer 26 and speed indicating needle 36 so that the mileage and speedindication may 5 be observed through this plate.

Carried within the retaining plate 22 is a glass plate 32 of the sameoutline as the pressed--in portion. the glass plate being spaced fromthe retaining plate by a gasket '34. This glass plate 10 carries thevarious indicia for the different indieating instruments, the numeralsbeing painted on the rear face of the glass plate for all the necessaryinstruments. The plate in front of the opening 26 in the retaining plateis clear so that 15 the speed and distance indications may be seenthrough this portion. A second gasket 36 is carried by the retainingplate in front of the glass plate 32 and surrounds the peripherythereof. In order to secure this'gasket 36 in place a spacing 20 `Vandretaining ring 38 having notches 54' extends over the gasket 36 and intoward the plate 32 and also surrounds the periphery of the plate.

A'clamping bezel 40 is carried upon the front of this assembly and tendsto retain the ordinary 25 glass lens 42 over the whole, a gasket 44being provided between the lens 42 and the retaining ring 28. The edgeof the retaining plate 22 has a 'series of projecting tips 46, thesetips being bent over to secure the bezel to the rest of the retain- 30ing plate assembly. f

In the horizontal side portions -56 of the retaining plate there isprovided a series of openings 52 and 54, the latter being aligned withnotches 54'. The openings 52 are provided at the 35 top and bottom forthe purpose of allowing light rays from the bulbs i6 in back of theplateto be reflected from the casing, 'the inner surface of which is painteda light color to aid reflection, and onto the edge of the glass plate 32after 40 which these rays reiect. back and forth within the glass plateand illuminate the indicia painted on the rear face thereof. Theopenings 54 are provided in the two ends and through these open'Y lingsthe various indicating needles A56 proj ect over 45 the -forward face ofthe plate 32 to give an indicationof the condition of the -various partsto which they are connected. The insideface of the retaining plate 22 ispainted in a light color to give a more pleasing appearance and assist50 in improving the visibility of .the indicia. In this connection itshould be pointed out that it is necessary to space the glass' dialplate from the retainer plate, accomplished by gasket 34, so that thebackground orretaining plate will appear 55 2 f 2,145,931 black when theglass dial is illuminated regardless of what color it is painted.- ,Thisis due to the fact that the light rays are within the glass dial andilluminate whatever is in actual contact with the dial such as theindicia but whatever is out of'contact will not be lighted and willtherefore appear black.

It has been before mentioned that one of the vided therefor which allowslight to pass from the opening in the forward end thereof. In alignmentwith this opening 20 thereis provided a furtheropening 58 in theretaining plate 22 lwhich allows a spot of light to be thrown upon apainted portion 60 on the rear face o! the plate 32. This particular bulb is connected in the series vwith the headlights and so gives theoperator an indication as to when his bright lights are illuminatedandwhenthey are'out. A v

The various operating instruments necessary to operate the needles 56are 4secured to the casing i in' any suitable manner such as by welding.The

bolts 62 and nuts 60 act as connections for the electric lines thereto.

It will thus be evident that in this particular Ustructure thespeedometer shaft vdoes not project through the glass plate nor does anyother part' .of the indicating apparatus, the speedometer needle beingvisible through the clear portion of the platev and l the other variousneedles passing through openings'in the side of the retaining plate andlying vin front of the glass plate. The various indicating indicia f rthe smaller instruments are painted on there -r face ,ofthe glass plate32 asin the case of the speedometer and also a seriesy of parallelvertical lines B4 is also painted adjacent each one of these needles 56the purpose of which is to enable the needles to be more clearly visibleat night and causing a more pleasing appearance than solid color in theday time. It

. should be pointed out that in this structure also it is unnecessary toremove the forward assembly, the assembly c :ontainingthe glass plateand clens,, in order to service the speedometer but the latter .45' maybe removed from the rear ot the casing without disturbing any otherpart. I claim: Y

1. In an instrument panel, av casing, an indiv eating instrument carriedthereby, a pressed-out plate having an opening therein, said platecarried by the casing with the opening in alignment with the instrument,transparent means carried by the pressed-out portion of the plate,indicia painted on the inner face of the transparent means, said platehaving side openings therein,

indicating needles 4extending through the side openings to lie over thetransparent means and operating means for the needles supported by thecasing.

2. In an instrument panel, a casing, a speedometer' mounted thereinhaving .an indicating needle, a retaining plate tting in the front. ofthe casing, the main body of which is pressed inwardly and having aplurality of openings in the side portions and an opening in the center,the speedometer needle being visible through Vthe latter, a glass platettingswithin the pressed-out portion, indicia painted on the glassplate, a source of light within the casing whereby light rays enter theedge of the glass plate through part of the openings in the sideportions, a plurality of other indicating'instruments carried in thecasingLan indicating needle -for each instrument,said needles`projecting through the remainder ofthe side`openings and over theforward face of the glass plate.

3. In an instrument panel,- a casing, a plurality of indicatinginstruments carried thereby having' movable needles, a retainer plateclosing the front on the transparent plate adjacent the instruments,some of said needles extending through 'the .side openings over thefa'ceof the transparent plate and some being positioned` behind and visiblethrough the vplate and illuminating means carried by the casing andproviding rays entering the transparent plate through other of theV sideopenings to provide' edge illuminationforthe transparent plate.

Y ARTHUR W. mms.

